it lasts a v long time if sealed; it was fermented for ages- to become what it is. put it on salads or composed cold plates; add it to meats or seafood cooked and served with a demi sauce or beurre blanc; serve it on vanilla ice cream; add it to sauteed mushroms, mash it and put it on roast beef or meatloaf, or sandwiches of either;mash up a bunch, add heavy cream, heat and reduce and serve over chicken. imagine a very very mild creamy garlic clove with tang of balsamic or chinese black vinegar.

I remember giving black garlic a Stuff Magazine dining award as kind of "It Ingredient" a couple of years ago, as it seemed like it was on every other fine-dining menu in town. The it kinda disappeared. I hadn't thought about it much till I saw it in a Coppa dish very recently, and now coincidentally mentioned here. I like it, but it is not what I would call a fierce flavor.

You've never tried my black garlic beer can chicken! Not much subtle about the flavor once you get a good amount of char on it from the grill. Just mashed up and eaten, sure, it does have a mild anise-y flavor with a hint of fresh garlic, and is indeed delicious. I like to get get a Maillard reaction on mine.Another fave is a roasted black garlic vinaigrette with smoked soy.